Jewish sacred texts - ReligionFacts ReligionFacts Jewish Timeline Jewish sacred texts Jews are known as the "People of the Book," an appropriate title. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE and the subsequent exile, sacrifices became impossible and Jewish religious life turned to study of the scriptures and prayer in the synagogue. Study of Torah and other Jewish texts has been central to religious life ever since. The Torah, the Talmud, and other Jewish writings are precious sources of Jewish history and divine commandments (the mitzvot), both of which continue to play a dominant part in Judaism. To remember the great things God has done for the Jewish people in history, and what he asks of them in return, selections from the Torah and the Prophets are read in the synagogue several times a week. To assist in proper interpretation and application of the mitzvot, a great body of rabbinical writings has developed and continues to develop to this day. Study of Torah (preferably in its original language, Hebrew) is an integral part of a Jewish child's education, and even Jewish mysticism is focused on intensive textual study.

Tanakh The Jewish sacred text is the Tanakh, whose name is an acronym of Torah, Nebi'im and Ketuvim (Law, Prophets and Writings). It consists of the same books as the Christian Old Testament, although in a slightly different order and with other minor differences. Torah Although the word "Torah" is sometimes used to refer to the entire Tanakh or even the whole body of Jewish writings, it technically means the first five books of the Tanakh. These books are also known as the Five Books of Moses or the Pentateuch. Talmud: The Oral Torah Another important Jewish text is the Talmud, a collection of rabbinical writings that interpret, explain and apply the Torah scriptures. The Talmud was written between the second and fifth century CE, but Orthodox Jews believe it was revealed to Moses along with the Torah and preserved orally until it was written down.

The Talmud is thus known as the "Oral Torah," with the first five books of the Tanakh designated the "Written Torah." Midrash A third group of Jewish literature is the Midrash, which is a large body of rabbinical material derived primary from sermons (the Hebrew word for "sermon" is d'rash). The primary collections of Midrash were compiled between the fourth and sixth centuries, but the midrashic form continues to the present day. Responsa A further set of Jewish writings is the responsa, a vast collection (thousands of volumes) of answers to specific questions on Jewish law. If the Talmud is a law book, the responsa are case law. The Septuagint An ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible dating to before the time of Jesus Christ, and used extensively by New Testament writers and the early church. Zohar The Sefer ha-Zohar (Book of Splendor) is the central text of Kabbalah, the mystical branch of Judaism.

BBC - Religions - Judaism: The Torah The Torah Last updated 2009-08-13 This article examines The Torah - what it is, how it is used and how it is constructed. On this page Print this page What is the Torah? The Torah is the first part of the Jewish bible. It is the central and most important document of Judaism and has been used by Jews through the ages. Torah refers to the five books of Moses which are known in Hebrew as Chameesha Choomshey Torah. These are: Bresheit (Genesis), Shemot (Exodus), Vayicra (Leviticus), Bamidbar (Numbers), and Devarim (Deuteronomy). Jews believe that God dictated the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai 50 days after their exodus from Egyptian slavery. They believe that the Torah shows how God wants Jews to live. It contains 613 commandments and Jews refer to the ten best known of these as the ten 10 statements. The Torah is written in Hebrew, the oldest of Jewish languages. It is also known as Torat Moshe, the Law of Moses.

The Torah is the first section or first five books of the Jewish bible. However, Tanach is more commonly used to describe the whole of Jewish scriptures. This is an acronym made up from the first letter of the words Torah, Nevi im (prophets), and Ketuvim (writings). Similarly, the term Torah is sometimes used in a more general sense to incorporate Judaism’s written and oral law. This definition encompasses Jewish scripture in its entirety including all authoritative Jewish religious teachings throughout history. The word Torah has various meanings in English. These include: teaching, instruction and law. For Jews the Torah means all of these. How is the Torah used? The Torah scrolls are taken out from the Ark (Aron ha kodesh) and portions read in the synagogue three times each week. On Mondays and Thursdays small sections are read. The main reading is on the morning of Shabbat (Sabbath). Over the course of the year the whole scroll is read in sequence. This begins from the end of Sukkot which is an autumn festival. The special portions for the readings are called parshioth and are usually three to five chapters in length.

The reader has to be very skilled to read from the scroll because the letters are written without corresponding vowels. They have to know the portion very well to avoid making mistakes. The reading is conducted using an ancient tune and is sung rather than spoken. The scrolls are not directly touched when unfurled on the Bimah (raised platform in middle of the synagogue). A pointer or Yad (hand) is used instead. This is in the shape of a hand with an outstretched finger. The reading or chanting is performed by a person who has been trained in this task. However it may be carried out by the rabbi. It is a very great honour for a congregant to be asked to attend at a reading during a synagogue service. This is called having an Aliyah which is Hebrew for going up. The weekly portion or Sedrah is followed by the recitation of part of another of the Jewish holy writings. How is a Torah scroll constructed? The Torah scrolls are entirely handwritten in Hebrew by a sofer (scribe) on parchment from a kosher animal. This is usually a cow. It can take up to 18 months to complete the whole process from the complex preparation of the animal skins to the writing of the final words.

Great accuracy is needed when the sofer writes the scroll. If he makes any mistakes it can make the whole scroll pasul (invalid). The completed scroll is known as a Sefer Torah from sefer which is the Hebrew for book. A Sefer Torah is so sacred to Jews it is said that if one is accidentally dropped in the synagogue the whole congregation must fast for 40 days. When Jewish communities have suffered persecution, great efforts would be made to preserve these scrolls. This demonstrates just how symbolically and physically important the Torah is to Jews. Oral law Alongside the written law Jews believe God also told Moses the spoken or oral law. This is known as the Torah she b’al pei or literally Torah from the mouth. The letter Pei as well as being the Hebrew word for mouth is the 17th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Pei has a numerical value of 80 which Jews believe is the age that Moses was when he led them out from slavery in Egypt. Although given at the same time this law was to be passed down orally from generation to generation. It is the information Jews need to practise fully the commandments in the written law. It was codified in the 2nd Century C.E.

Judaism 101: Torah Judaism 101  Torah in the narrowest sense refers to the first five books of the Bible  In a broader sense, Torah includes all Jewish law and tradition  Torah was given to Moses in written form with oral commentary  The oral component is now written in the Talmud  There are additional important writings The word "Torah" is a tricky one, because it can mean different things in different contexts. In its most limited sense, "Torah" refers to the Five Books of Moses : Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. But the word "torah" can also be used to refer to the entire Jewish bible (the body of scripture known to non-Jews as the Old Testament and to Jews as the Tanakh or Written Torah), or in its broadest sense, to the whole body of Jewish law and teachings. Written Torah To Jews, there is no "Old Testament." The books that Christians call the New Testament are not part of Jewish scripture. The so-called Old Testament is known to us as Written Torah or the Tanakh.

This is a list of the books of Written Torah, in the order in which they appear in Jewish translations, with the Hebrew name of the book, a translation of the Hebrew name (where it is not the same as the English name), and English names of the books (where it is not the same as the Hebrew name). The Hebrew names of the first five books are derived from the first few words of the book. The text of each book is more or less the same in Jewish translations as what you see in Christian bibles, although there are some occasional, slight differences in the numbering of verses and there are some significant differences in the translations. TORAH (The Law): Ezra & Nechemyah (Nehemiah) (treated as one book) Divrei Ha-Yamim (The words of the days) (Chronicles) Written Torah is often referred to as the Tanakh, which is an acrostic of Torah, Nevi'im and Ketuvim. Torah Scrolls The scriptures that we use in services are written on parchment scrolls. They are always hand-written, in attractive Hebrew calligraphy with "crowns" (crows-foot-like marks coming up from the upper points) on many of the letters .

This style of writing is known as STA"M (an abbreviation for "Sifrei Torah, Tefillin and Mezuzot ," which is where you will see that style of writing). For more information about the STA"M alphabet, including illustrations and relevant rules, see Hebrew Alphabet used in writing STA"M . You are not supposed to touch the parchment on these scrolls; some say because they are too holy; some say because the parchment, made from animal skins, is a source of ritual defilement; others say because your fingers' sweat has acids that will damage the parchment over time. Instead, you follow the text with a pointer, called a Yad. "Yad" means "hand" in Hebrew, and the pointer usually is in the shape of a hand with a pointing index finger (I always find this incredibly amusing). The scrolls are kept covered with fabric, and often ornamented with silver crowns on the handles of the scrolls and a silver breastplate on the front. The scrolls are kept in a cabinet in the synagogue called an "ark," as in Ark of the Covenant, not as in Noah's Ark. The words are different and unrelated in Hebrew.

Noah's ark (and also the ark that Moses was placed in) are called in Hebrew teyvat (ship). I was taught that the "Ark" of the Covenant and the ark in synagogue are an acrostic of "aron kodesh" (holy cabinet), but others have told me that it is merely an archaic English word derived from the Latin arca (cabinet). The Torah scrolls that we read from in synagogue are unpointed text, with no vowels or musical notes, so the ability to read a passage from a scroll is a valuable skill, and usually requires substantial advance preparation (reviewing the passage in a text with points). See Hebrew Alphabet for more on pointed and unpointed texts. Chumash Jewish scriptures are sometimes bound in a form that corresponds to the division into weekly readings (called parshiyot in Hebrew). Scriptures bound in this way are generally referred to as a chumash. The word "chumash" comes from the Hebrew word meaning five, and refers to the five books of the Torah. Sometimes, a chumash is simply refers to a collection of the five books of the Torah.

But often, a chumash contains the entire first five books, divided up by the weekly parshiyot, with the haftarah portion inserted after each week's parshah. Oral Torah: The Talmud In addition to the written scriptures we have an "Oral Torah," a tradition explaining what the above scriptures mean and how to interpret them and apply the Laws. Orthodox Jews believe G-d taught the Oral Torah to Moses , and he taught it to others, down to the present day. This tradition was maintained only in oral form until about the 2d century C.E. , when the oral law was compiled and written down in a document called the Mishnah. Over the next few centuries, additional commentaries elaborating on the Mishnah were written down in Jerusalem and Babylon. These additional commentaries are known as the Gemara. The Gemara and the Mishnah together are known as the Talmud. This was completed in the 5th century C.E. There are actually two Talmuds: the Jerusalem Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud. The Babylonian Talmud is more comprehensive, and is the one most people mean if they just say "the Talmud" without specifying which one.

There have been additional commentaries on the Talmud by such noted Jewish scholars as Rashi and Rambam . Adin Steinsaltz recently completed a new edition of the Talmud, with his own commentary supplementing the Mishnah, Gemara, and Rashi commentaries. The Talmud is not easy to read. It reminds me of someone else's class notes for a college lecture you never attended. There are often gaps in the reasoning where it is assumed that you already know what they are talking about, and concepts are often expressed in a sort of shorthand. Biblical verses that support a teaching are often referenced by only two or three words. The Talmud preserves a variety of views on every issue, and does not always clearly identify which view is the accepted one. The Mishnah is divided into six sections called sedarim (in English, orders). Each seder contains one or more divisions called masekhtot (in English, tractates). There are 63 masekhtot in the Mishnah. Approximately half of these masekhtot have been addressed in the Talmud.

Although these divisions seem to indicate subject matter, it is important to note that the Mishnah and the Talmud engage in quite a bit of free-association, thus widely diverse subjects may be discussed in a seder or masekhtah. Below is the division of the Mishnah into sedarim and masekhtot: Zera'im (Seeds), dealing with agricultural laws Berakhot Yadayim Uqsin In recent times, many observant Jews have taken up the practice of studying a page of Talmud every day. This practice, referred to as daf yomi (page of the day), was started at the First International Congress of the Agudath Yisrael World Movement in August, 1923. Rav Meir Shapiro, the rav of Lublin, Poland, proposed uniting people worldwide through the daily study of a page of Talmud. Daf Yomi started its 12th cycle on March 2, 2005. The 13th cycle will begin on August 3, 2012. A calendar of the cycle and other resources can be found at Daf Yomi Calendar .

Other Writings In addition to these works, we have midrashim, which are basically stories expanding on incidents in the Bible to derive principles or Jewish law or to teach moral lessons. For example, there is a midrash about why Moses wasn't a good speaker (he put coals in his mouth as a child basically as a way of proving that he wasn't greedy), and another one about Abram discovering monotheism and rejecting his father's idolatry (that's a nifty one: basically, he smashes up all his father's idols except the big one, then blames the mess on the big one, as a way of showing his father that the idols don't really have any power). Some of them fill in gaps in the narrative. For example, in Gen. 22:2, why does G-d say, "thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac ." Wouldn't the name alone be enough? One story says that the narrative is skipping out Abraham 's responses.

"Take thy son." "Which one?" "Thine only son." "But I have two!" "Whom thou lovest." "I love them both!" "Even Isaac." (I'm not sure this is a traditional one -- I got it from a questionable source -- but I like it). There is also a vast body of responsa, answers to specific questions of Jewish law . Beginning in the middle ages, when local rabbis were faced with difficult issues of Jewish law, they often wrote to the most respected rabbis in the world to get answers to these questions. The local rabbi would present the situation, often including detailed references to the Talmudic passages he had reviewed and his own interpretations of these authorities, and the world-renowned rabbi would provide a reasoned argument in favor of his answer. Over time, these responsa were collected into printed volumes. This tradition continues to the present day, and there are several rabbis in this century who have developed responsa on issues relating to modern technologies.

For example, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, who died in the 1980s, wrote responsa on such diverse topics as the permissibility of cosmetic surgery, the kashering of dishwashers, and artificial insemination. There are literally thousands of volumes of responsa. A project at Bar-Ilan University is compiling these responsa into a computer database. See their website at The Responsa Project for more information. As you can see, the body of Jewish tradition is very vast. Is there any place to get quick answers? In the middle ages, there were several attempts to create definitive codes of Jewish law . The best-known of these codes are Rambam 's Mishneh Torah and Joseph Caro's Shulchan Arukh. In their own time, these works were very controversial, because they did not identify the Torah or Talmudic basis for their opinions and generally ignored conflicting opinions. There was concern that such works would discourage Jews from studying the primary sources: Torah and Talmud. Today, however, these sources are well-respected. In fact, the Shulchan Arukh is often treated as a primary source. We also have a mystical tradition, known as Kabbalah .

The primary written work in the Kabbalistic tradition is the Zohar. Traditionally, rabbis discouraged teaching this material to anyone under the age of 40, because it is too likely to be misinterpreted by anyone without sufficient grounding in the basics. © Copyright 5756-5771 (1995-2011), Tracey R Rich If you appreciate the many years of work I have put into this site, show your appreciation by linking to this page, not copying it to your site. I can't correct my mistakes or add new material if it's on your site. Click Here for more details. What is the holy book of Judaism? | Reference.com What is the holy book of Judaism? A: Quick Answer The primary holy book of the Jewish faith is known as the Torah, which comprises the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy; these are also the first five books of the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, although "Old Testament" is not a term that followers of the Jewish faith typically apply to the Torah.

The Torah can also be known as the Pentateuch, and it is accompanied by holy texts such as the Talmud, an authoritative book of biblical interpretations and Jewish oral traditions. According to Jewish religious tradition, God gave the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai. Theology: Judaism. History, Beliefs of Jewish Religion / Jews History and Main Beliefs of Jewish Religion / The Jews Who is the bravest hero? He who turns his enemy into a friend. Judge not thy neighbor until thou art come into his place. (Jewish Proverbs) Introduction to Judaism Judaism is the religion, culture, ethics and law of the Jewish people. It is one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths (4000 year history). 14 million jews practice judaism today. (Source of statistics: adherents.com updated 2005). Historically, Judaism founds many other religions, including Christianity and Islam. As the Catholic encyclopedia suggests (Volume VIII, 1910); Several centuries before Mohammed's birth (c. 570), the Jews had effected important settlements in Arabia, and in the course of time, they had acquired a considerable influence upon the Arab population.

In fact, it is certain that at one time, there existed in Southern Arabia (Yemen), an Arab-Jewish kingdom which was brought to an end in 530 by a Christian king of Abyssinia. But although they had lost their royal estate, the Arabian Jews were still numerous and powerful, in the Hedjaz, north of Yemen. There was indeed but a small Jewish population in Mecca, Mohammed's birthplace; yet it is probable that contact with the Jews of that city was one of the means by which the founder of Islam became acquainted with Judaism, its beliefs, and it Patriarchs. This acquaintance became naturally closer after the Hegira (Flight) of Mohammed (622) to Medina, the chief centre of the Arabian Jews. ( - Catholic Encyclopedia, 1910, History of the Jews) Religious view of the History of Judaism According to religious Jews, the Biblical patriarch Abraham was the first Jew. Rabbinic literature records that he was the first to reject idolatry and preach monotheism. As a result, God promised he would have children, starting with Isaac, who would carry on his work and inherit the land of Israel (then called Canaan) after having been exiled and redeemed.

God sent the patriarch Jacob and his children to Egypt; after they eventually became enslaved, God sent Moses to redeem the Israelites from slavery. After the Exodus from Egypt, God led them to Mount Sinai and gave them the Torah, and eventually brought them to the Land of Israel. God set the descendants of Aaron, Moses' brother, to be a priestly class within the Israelite community. They first officiated in the tabernacle (a portable house of worship), and later their descendants officiated in the Temple in Jerusalem Once they had settled, the tabernacle was planted in the city of Shiloh for over 300 years during which time God provided great men, and occasionally women, to rally the nation after he sent enemies to attack them. As time went on, the spiritual level of the nation declined to the point that God allowed the Philistines to capture the tabernacle in Shiloh. The people of Israel then told Samuel the prophet that they had reached the point where they needed a permanent king like other nations had. God knew this was not best for the Jews, but acceded to this request and had Samuel appoint Saul, a great but very humble man, to be their king.

When the people pressured Saul into going against a command conveyed to him by Samuel, God told Samuel to appoint David in his stead. Once David was established, he told the prophet Nathan that he would like to build a permanent temple. As a reward, God promised David that he would allow his son to build the temple and the throne would never depart from his children. David was not allowed to build the temple because he had been involved in many wars, and it was thus inappropriate for him to build a temple representing peace. David's son Solomon built the first permanent temple according to God's will, in Jerusalem. After Solomon's death, the kingdom was split into the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Israel had a variety of kings, but after a few hundred years, because of the rampant idolatry God allowed Assyria to conquer Israel and exile its people. The kingdom of Judah, whose capital was Jerusalem and contained the temple, remained under the rulership of the house of David. However, idolatry increased to the point that God allowed Babylon to conquer it, destroy the temple which had stood for 410 years and exile its people to Babylon, with the promise that they would be redeemed after seventy years.

After seventy years the people were allowed back into Israel under the leadership of Ezra, and the temple was rebuilt. This second temple stood for 420 years after which it was destroyed by the Roman general (later emperor) Titus. This is the state in which it is to remain until a descendant of David arises to restore the glory of Israel (the current existence of the Islamic Dome of the Rock doesn't matter to the Rabbinical view). The Torah given on Mount Sinai was summarized in the five books of Moses and together with the books of the prophets is called the Written Torah. The details which are called the Oral Torah were to remain unwritten. However as the persecutions of the Jews increased and the details were in danger of being forgotten, they were recorded in the Mishna, and the Talmud, as well as other holy books. Ancient Jewish Texts: The Torah Torah, (תורה) is a Hebrew word meaning teaching, instruction, or especially Law. It primarily refers to the first section of the Tanakh – the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, or the Five Books of Moses. The five books are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

Collectively they are also known as the Pentateuch (Greek for "five containers", where containers presumably refers to the scroll cases in which books were being kept), Hamisha Humshei Torah (Hebrew for 'the five parts of the Torah'), or just Humash ('fifth' for short) or Chumash. Jews also use the word Torah, in a wider sense, to refer to the entire spectrum of authoritative Jewish religious teachings throughout history. In this sense it might include the entire Tanakh, the Mishnah, the Talmud and the midrashic literature. In its widest sense, Jews use the word Torah to refer to any kind of teachings or philosophy. Structure of the Sacred Jewish Books The five books do not contain a complete and ordered system of legislature (which is found in the Talmud), but rather, a general philosophical basis, a historical description of the beginings of Judaism, and 613 specific laws. Much of the five books (particuarly Genesis, the first part of Exodus and much of Numeri) are actually stories rather than lists of laws, but many important concepts and ideas are found in these stories.

The book of Deuteronomy is different from the previous books; it consists of Moses' final speeches to Israel at the end of his life, and reiterates many laws mentioned previously. Many laws of Judaism are not directly mentioned in the Torah, but are derived from textual hints, which were expanded orally, and eventually written down in the Talmud and Mishnah. Importance of The Torah to the Jews The Torah is the primary document of Judaism, and is the source of all the basic Biblical commandments, in an ethical framework. According to Jewish tradition, these books were revealed to Moses by God; some of it is said to have been revealed at Mt. Sinai (the Ten Commandments.) Classical rabbinic literature offers various ideas on when the entire Torah was revealed. The rabbis hold that not only are the words giving a Divine message, but indicate a far greater message that extends beyond them. Torah translations have existed for over 2000 years.

Main Beliefs of Judaism / Jewish Religion Judaism beliefs are set forth in the following thirteen articles, first compiled by Maimonides in the eleventh century: I believe with a true and perfect faith that God is the creator (whose name be blessed), governor, and maker of all creatures; and that he has wrought all things, worketh, and shall work forever. I believe with perfect faith that the creator (whose name be blessed) is one; that there is no unity like unto his in any way; and that he alone was, is, and will be our God. I believe with a perfect faith that the creator (whose name be blessed) is incorporeal, that he has not any corporeal qualities, and that nothing can be compared unto him. I believe with a perfect faith that the creator (whose name be blessed) was the first, and will be the last. I believe with a perfect faith that the creator (whose name be blessed) is to be worshipped and none else. I believe with perfect faith that all the words of the prophets are true.

I believe with perfect faith that the prophecies of Moses our master (may he rest in peace) were true; that he was the father and chief of all prophets, both of those before him and those after him. I believe with perfect faith that the Law, at present in our hands, is the same that was given to our master Moses (peace be with him). I believe with perfect faith that this Law will not be changed, and that no other Law will be revealed by the creator (blessed be his name). I believe with a perfect faith that God (whose name be blessed) knows all the deeds of the sons of men and all their thoughts; as it is said: "He who hath formed their hearts altogether, he knoweth all their deeds". I believe with a perfect faith that God (whose name be blessed) rewards those who keep his commandments, and punishes those who transgress them. I believe with a perfect faith that the Messias will come; and although he tarries I wait nevertheless every fay for his coming. I believe with a perfect faith that there will be a resurrection of the dead, at the time when it shall please the creator (blessed be his name).

Sacred Text: Judaism - explorefaith by Howard Greenstein The basic sacred text of Judaism is not the ï¿½Old Testament.ï¿½ The proper word is simply the Bible, or the Hebrew Bible. The term ï¿½Old Testamentï¿½ is appropriate only for those who believe that the Bible includes a ï¿½New Testamentï¿½ and choose such a distinction to contrast the two major divisions of their sacred text. Since Judaism does not include a ï¿½New Testament,ï¿½ there is nothing ï¿½oldï¿½ about its only Testament. That is why it is fitting to call it simply the Bible. That is the meaning of the term as it will be applied to this explanation of sacred Jewish texts. The first section of the Hebrew Bible is the five books from Genesis through Deuteronomy whose authorship is attributed to Moses and called by the Hebrew name Torah. Those five books are also known in Hebrew as the Chumash (ï¿½the Fiveï¿½) and in Greek as the Pentateuch (stemming from Greek and late Latin origins, referring to the first ï¿½five scrollsï¿½ or books of the Bible).

The second section of the Bible is designated as N'vi-im, which is the Hebrew term for ï¿½Prophets.ï¿½ This section includes all the literature attributed to those gifted individuals who were considered recipients of privileged insights into the nature of God and God's purpose. All the remaining books of the Bible constitute the third section, which is understandably known as simply K'tuvim, ï¿½The Writings.ï¿½ This portion of the Bible contains some of the finest literature ever written, such as the Book of Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, both books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles. All three sections of the Bible comprise a total of 39 books and are known collectively as TaNaK, which is an acronym derived from a combination of the first letters of each section in their Hebrew terminology (Torah, N'vi-im and K'tuvim). TaNaK is the Hebrew word for Bible. In its most limited sense, the term Torah stands for the Five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

This section includes the story of creation and the Garden of Eden, the contributions of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their families, the enslavement of Israel in Egypt, and the Israelites' liberation from bondage under the leadership of Moses, the most favored of all the prophets. Moses brings Israel to the wilderness of Sinai for the revelation of the Ten Commandments and the entire body of teaching the Israelites are expected to follow in their observance of the Covenant. The Torah contains numerous passages that remain forever central to Judaism, such as ï¿½You shall love your neighbor as yourself ï¿½ (Lev. 19:18), and the words of the priestly benediction: The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His face upon you, and give you peace. (Num. 6:24-26) The eternal Jewish affirmation of faith is also derived from the Torah with the injunction known as the Shema: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.

And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deut. 6:4-9) This crucial passage from Deuteronomy is taught to a Jewish child almost from the time he/she begins to speak. It is part of every Jewish worship service. Since worship is a daily religious exercise among observant Jews, it is recited every day. Judaism teaches that it should also be the last words on the lips of every Jew who anticipates imminent death. Millions of martyrs ended their lives proclaiming the message of the Shema. Copyright ©2006 Howard Greenstein Howard R. Greenstein serves as Rabbi of the Jewish congregation of Marco Island, Florida. He has previously served congregations in Florida, Ohio, and Massachusetts.

Greenstein has been a Lecturer at the University of Florida, University of North Florida, and Jacksonville University. He is the author of Judaism: An Eternal Covenant (1983) and Turning Point: Zionism and Reform Judaism (1981). Excerpts from What Do Our Neighbors Believe?: Questions and Answers on Judaism, Christianity and Islam by Howard Greenstein, Kendra Hotz, and John Kaltner are used by permission from Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, Kentucky. The book will be available for purchase in December 2006. Hebrew Bible | Jewish sacred writings | Britannica.com Jewish sacred writings Alternative Titles: Hebrew canon, Hebrew Scriptures, Jewish canon Related Topics Hebrew Bible, also called Hebrew Scriptures, Old Testament, or Tanakh, collection of writings that was first compiled and preserved as the sacred books of the Jewish people. It constitutes a large portion of the Christian Bible . A brief treatment of the Hebrew Bible follows. For full treatment, see biblical literature . In its general framework, the Hebrew Bible is the account of God’s dealing with the Jews as his chosen people, who collectively called themselves Israel.

After an account of the world’s creation by God and the emergence of human civilization, the first six books narrate not only the history but the genealogy of the people of Israel to the conquest and settlement of the Promised Land under the terms of God’s covenant with Abraham , whom God promised to make the progenitor of a great nation. This covenant was subsequently renewed by Abraham’s son Isaac and grandson Jacob (whose byname Israel became the collective name of his descendants and whose sons, according to legend , fathered the 13 Israelite tribes) and centuries later by Moses (from the Israelite tribe of Levi ). The following seven books continue their story in the Promised Land, describing the people’s constant apostasy and breaking of the covenant; the establishment and development of the monarchy in order to counter this; and the warnings by the prophets both of impending divine punishment and exile and of Israel’s need to repent. The last 11 books contain poetry , theology , and some additional history. Engraving by William Blake for an illuminated edition of The Book of Job, 1825. Courtesy of the trustees of the British Museum; photograph, J.R. Freeman & Co. Ltd.

biblical literature: The Hebrew canon The Hebrew Bible’s profoundly monotheistic interpretation of human life and the universe as creations of God provides the basic structure of ideas that gave rise not only to Judaism and Christianity but also to Islam , which emerged from Jewish and Christian tradition and which views Abraham as a patriarch (see also Judaism: The ancient Middle Eastern setting ). Except for a few passages in Aramaic , appearing mainly in the apocalyptic Book of Daniel , these scriptures were written originally in Hebrew during the period from 1200 to 100 bce. The Hebrew Bible probably reached its current form about the 2nd century ce. Similar Topics Genesis The Hebrew canon contains 24 books, one for each of the scrolls on which these works were written in ancient times. The Hebrew Bible is organized into three main sections: the Torah , or “Teaching,” also called the Pentateuch or the “Five Books of Moses”; the Neviʾim , or Prophets; and the Ketuvim , or Writings. It is often referred to as the Tanakh, a word combining the first letter from the names of each of the three main divisions. Each of the three main groupings of texts is further subdivided.

The Torah contains narratives combined with rules and instructions in Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers , and Deuteronomy . The books of the Neviʾim are categorized among either the Former Prophets—which contain anecdotes about major Hebrew persons and include Joshua , Judges , Samuel , and Kings —or the Latter Prophets—which exhort Israel to return to God and are named (because they are either attributed to or contain stories about them) for Isaiah , Jeremiah , Ezekiel , and (together in one book known as “The Book of the Twelve”) the 12 Minor Prophets ( Hosea , Joel , Amos , Obadiah , Jonah , Micah , Nahum , Habakkuk , Zephaniah , Haggai , Zechariah , Malachi ). The last of the three divisions, the Ketuvim , contains poetry (devotional and erotic), theology, and drama in Psalms , Proverbs , Job , Song of Songs (attributed to King Solomon), Ruth , Lamentations , Ecclesiastes , Esther , Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah , and Chronicles .

Many Christians refer to the Hebrew Bible as the Old Testament , the prophecy foretelling the advent of Jesus Christ as God’s appointed Messiah . The name Old Testament was devised by a Christian, Melito of Sardis , about 170 ce to distinguish this part of the Bible from the New Testament , which recounts the ministry and gospel of Jesus and presents the history of the early Christian church. The Hebrew Bible as adopted by Christianity features more than 24 books for several reasons. First, Christians divided some of the original Hebrew texts into two or more parts: Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles into two parts each; Ezra-Nehemiah into two separate books; and the Minor Prophets into 12 separate books. Further, the Bibles used in the Eastern Orthodox , Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic , and some Protestant churches were derived initially from the Septuagint , the Greek-language translation of the Hebrew Bible produced in the 3rd and 2nd centuries bce. This included some books deemed noncanonical by Orthodox Judaism and most Protestant churches (see also Apocrypha ), slightly longer versions of Daniel and Esther, and one additional psalm.

Moreover, the Ethiopian Tewahdo Orthodox Church , one of the Oriental Orthodox churches, also includes within its Old Testament two works considered by other Christian churches to be pseudepigraphical (both noncanonical and dubiously attributed to a biblical figure): the apocalyptic First Book of Enoch and the Book of Jubilees . Learn More in these related articles: What are the sacred writings of Judaism? | Reference.com What are the sacred writings of Judaism? A: Quick Answer The sacred writings of Judaism are found in the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, known as the "Tanakh." The Jews believe the writings were first given to Moses by God roughly 3,000 years ago and commonly refer to them as the "Five Books of Moses." Full Answer The books of the Torah include the biblical books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Jewish Virtual Library explains that, in addition to an account of the creation of the world and the complete history of the early Hebrews, the Torah lists 613 laws about how to worship God and lead a moral life. Followers are encouraged to pass on these Jewish traditions to their families.

Judaism Origins, Judaism History, Judaism Beliefs Share Judaism is a religious tradition with origins dating back nearly four thousand years, rooted in the ancient near eastern region of Canaan (which is now Israel and Palestinian territories). Originating as the beliefs and practices of the people known as "Israel," classical, or rabbinic, Judaism did not emerge until the 1st century C.E. Judaism traces its heritage to the covenant God made with Abraham and his lineage — that God would make them a sacred people and give them a holy land. The primary figures of Israelite culture include the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophet Moses, who received God's law at Mt. Sinai. Judaism is a tradition grounded in the religious, ethical, and social laws as they are articulated in the Torah — the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. Jews refer to the Bible as the Tanakh, an acronym for the texts of the Torah, Prophets, and Writings. Other sacred texts include the Talmud and Midrash, the rabbinic, legal, and narrative interpretations of the Torah. The contemporary branches of Judaism differ in their interpretations and applications of these texts.

The four main movements within Judaism today are Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist, respectively ranging from traditional to liberal to religiously progressive in their application of Torah. While diverse in their views, Jews continue to be unified on the basis of their common connection to a set of sacred narratives expressing their relationship with God as a holy people. Judaism tends to emphasize practice over belief. Jewish worship is centered in synagogues, which completely replaced the Second Temple after its destruction in 70 C.E. Jewish religious leaders are called rabbis, who oversee the many rituals and ceremonies essential to Jewish religious practice. Quick Fact Details: Formed: Though the Jewish calendar goes back more than 5000 years, most scholars date the beginning of the religion of the Israelites to their forefather in faith, Abraham, whose life is generally dated to circa 2000-1800 B.C.E. Origin: Canaan is the biblical name for the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean, approximately the equivalent of what today comprises the state of Israel and the Palestinian territories. Followers: The worldwide count of adherents of Judaism is difficult, as some Jewish movements dispute the legitimate Jewish identity of others.

Many do not affiliate with any particular branch, and may then be left out of census reports. Sacred Texts: Tanakh is an acronym of Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim. Torah is the name given to the first five books — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy — also called the Pentateuch. The Nevi'im and Ketuvim are the books of history, prophecy, poetry, and other sacred writings. The Talmud is also called the Oral Torah, and is comprised of rabbinical commentary and interpretation on the Torah. Headquarters: While Jerusalem remains the center of Jewish spirituality, the lack of a Temple or any administrative or jurisdictional authority prevents it from being an organizational center. Quick Fact Sources include , , The Oxford Handbook of Global Religions (2006), The Encyclopedia of Religion (2005), the Religious Movements Page at the University of Virginia , The Cambridge Illustrated History of Religions (2002), and the Encyclopedia of World Religions (1999).

Patheos Galleries Related to Judaism Jewish Books: 18 Essential Texts Every Jew Should Read | The Huffington Post Jewish Books: 18 Essential Texts Every Jew Should Read 10/24/2011 02:49 pm ET | Updated Dec 24, 2011 380 Jews are known as the "People of the Book" for good reason. The Torah, otherwise known as the Hebrew Bible, has inspired debate and sparked imaginations for thousands of years, and the Talmud is itself an imaginative compendium of Jewish legal debate. Throughout the centuries, reflections and commentaries on these texts have continually expanded and transformed the way Jews understand their religion, their history and the possibilities of their future. Given how much has been written by Jews, for Jews on the subject of Judaism, we thought it would be good to get guidance on where those looking for quintessential Jewish knowledge and wisdom should start. We asked some of our Jewish bloggers to submit their top picks for books that every Jew should read. From the good Five Books and the wisdom of the Sages to mystical musings and a feminist Jewish treatise, this list spans the ages and tastes of Jewish thought.

But it is by no means comprehensive. That's one debate we don't wish to ignite. What's your favorite Jewish book? Send us your suggestion at religion@huffingtonpost.com, and we may add it to the list. The Best Jewish Books

Question: In the Jewish religion, by what name are the first five books of the Tanakh collectively known?
Answer: Torah